1. Our Role
"Let a man so account of us,
as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of
God." (I Cor. 4:1)
While it was Paul who received the truth
of the mystery from the glorified Christ, he shared it with others,
and he challenges us to commit these great truths to faithful men
who will be able to teach others also (11 Timothy 2:1,2).
2. Our Responsibility
"Moreover it is required in
stewards, that a man be found faithful." (I Cor. 4:2)
Note that God does not require us to
be successful, as men count success. He does not judge our ministry
on the size of the assembly nor the amount of the offerings each
week. He simply asks that we be faithful. We are faithful when we
dispense the truth of God's message to this dispensation without
fear or favor, and without watering it down. We were shocked recently
when we read of a pharmacist (a dispenser of medicines) who was
found guilty of diluting large amounts of drugs for cancer treatment.
Think of the physical suffering and death that resulted from that.
But think of the spiritual damage done by men who dilute the clear
teachings of Scripture with human tradition and doctrines of men.
B. The Speaking
"If any man speak, let him speak
as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of
the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified
through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and
ever. Amen." (I Peter 4:11)
This applies to anyone who preaches
or teaches the Word of God, or who does personal witnessing for
the Lord. When we speak, it is not to be our creed, our doctrinal
statement (written or unwritten), or our traditions ("we have
always done it this way"), We are to speak the oracles (Greek:
logia) of God. In Classical Greek the word was often used of the
messages pagans believed they received from their gods. In Scripture,
it is always used of God's Word. It is found in three other places
in the Word:
Acts 7:38 -- "This is he, that
was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to
him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively
oracles to give unto us."
Romans 3:1-2: -- "What advantage
then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much
every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles
of God."
Hebrews 5:12: "For when for
the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you
again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are
become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat."
While the source of our message is
the written Word, the subject of our message is the Living Word
-- "Whom we preach" (Col. 1:28).
(To Be Continued)